


She is the Sunlight

by writingwithmolls



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F, Fire Emblem: Three Houses Black Eagles Route, First Kiss, I just think they're neat and parallel one another and are in love, Kind of!, Love Confessions, Rivals to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-04
Updated: 2020-06-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24006775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingwithmolls/pseuds/writingwithmolls
Summary: Constance von Nuvelle is finding it difficult to adjust to her new class. In particular, the bright and lovely Dorothea Arnault continues to outshine her every step of the way.Constance and Dorothea begin to understand each other—and even if Dorothea is as breathtaking as the sun, Constance learns it's not in spite of her.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Constance von Nuvelle
Comments: 15
Kudos: 42





	1. A Shadow Seeking Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Constance, want to come to dinner with me?” Dorothea asked. “I could use your company.”
> 
> “I would rather not,” Constance said, ducking away from the girl and heading towards the dorms. She was glad it was dark so she wouldn’t begin to grovel to the songstress in the sunlight. Like the sunlight, Dorothea was too bright. “I am going to continue my research.”
> 
> “Don’t work yourself too hard,” Dorothea said, but Constance didn’t even turn to listen.
> 
> Constance doesn't realize she's pushing away a friend until it's too late.

Constance von Nuvelle  _ did not _ get jealous.

She just got ever so  _ slightly _ irritated when her classmate was better at magic than her. And seemed to have a closer relationship with their house leader. And was well-loved by what appeared to be all of the academy.

Okay, so maybe Constance was jealous of Dorothea… but it was unavoidable. She wasn’t even of noble birth, but she fit right in. According to her classmates she was an  _ amazing _ diva who now was nearly unparalleled in her magical wielding. Even Hubert begrudgingly admitted that if the songstress had practiced as long as he had, Dorothea would surpass him. She was always hanging on some new man’s arm, while they wouldn’t dare look at the disgraced von Nuvelle.

“Constance, I need you to pay attention,” her head shot up when her professor tapped the book in front of her. They looked down, pointing to a section she was neglecting to read. “I know none of us want to be in the classroom right now, but it’s imperative that we understand this.”

“Yes, Professor.” Constance tried to refocus, but Dorothea’s bell-like laugh interrupted her thoughts. Of course she would be laughing at her.

“Linhardt, what did you say about this again?” Byleth asked, turning to the young boy who was half asleep and lounged over his tower of papers.

“I regret ever telling you about this.” Linhardt sighed. The boy (another magic prodigy despite his lack of effort) had found a way to properly counter some of the strange attacks the enemies had been using. Of course, that left it up to Byleth to try to teach the method and theory to Hubert, Constance, and Dorothea because it was most effective with their talent in reason.

“It’s past dinner time,” Hubert said, a scowl from his end of the desk. “It’s been  _ three hours _ I think we should call it a night.”

“Oh, so Hubie is the teacher now?” Dorothea teased, putting a hand on Constance’s arm. Her hands were soft and Constance jerked her arm away. “You might have to put in your resignation,  _ Professor _ ,” Dorothea cooed, but she frowned at the glare she received from Constance.

“A break might do us well,” Hubert said, looking towards the windows. It was already dark outside, not a student in sight.

“Fine, but then we have a Saturday class,” Byleth said and everyone groaned at their announcement. Constance packed up her books quickly, holding them close to her chest. Deep inside she knew it was a mistake to come to Garreg Mach—she should have just stayed in the Abyss. She was getting nowhere with Edelgard and Byleth refused to acknowledge her expertise.

She was halfway out the door when she heard quick steps behind her.

“Constance, want to come to dinner with me?” Dorothea asked. “I could use your company.”

“I would rather not,” Constance said, ducking away from the girl and heading towards the dorms. She was glad it was dark so she wouldn’t begin to grovel to the songstress in the sunlight. Like the sunlight, Dorothea was too bright. “I am going to continue my research.”

“Don’t work yourself too hard,” Dorothea said, but Constance didn’t even turn to listen.

Constance disliked her dorm room at Garreg Mach. Not only was she put in the same building as the commoners, but it was small and lonely. Even though she had at first protested not having her own space, the room felt empty without Hapi’s comments or Yuri popping his head in to call her “Shady Lady.” She laughed to herself thinking about the time Balthus lifted her into the air above his head as part of a bet. It had angered her in the moment, but now she longed for the intimate moments that now eluded her.

She sat in the low light of the candles and threw her books onto her bed. Linhardt and his  _ research _ made her look like a fool. She was finding it difficult to grasp the concept. That and the professor seemed much more enthusiastic about  _ his _ report over hers. She traded the uniform for her own nightgown and sat back down on the bed with the notes. Constance knew she had to understand it if she looked at it enough. There would be some entry point that made sense instead of Linhardt’s vague hypothesis. It was just a matter of taking her time, looking at it from a different angle.

There was a knock at the door. “Constance? It’s Dorothea.”

Was she daft? Constance nearly lost her anger as she opened the door to the woman smiling with two plates in her hand.

“I made you something for dinner… well  _ Ashe _ supervised me, but you have to eat  _ something _ ,” Dorothea said, pushing the plate into her hands. “Mind if I eat with you?”

“If you insist,” Constance tried to add a bite to her words, but it died in her throat. Dorothea’s smile was bright and she would feel guilty for denying her the meal.

“Don’t work yourself too hard.” Dorothea looked at the papers and books spread out on her bed. She sat on the floor with her plate as Constance sat on her desk chair. Her desk, too, was stacked with books and her own notes. “Even Hubert was struggling with it, we can all work on it tomorrow morning.”

“I was just reviewing,” Constance said. She found it embarrassing that Dorothea saw her fighting with the information and felt the need to bring her food as if she wasn’t perfectly capable of feeding herself. She took a bite of the meal—some chicken with vegetables. Parts of it were burnt, but otherwise it looked much more edible than others had led her to believe about the songstress’s cooking skills.

“Have I done something to insult you?” Dorothea asked, adjusting the bracelets that dangled on her wrists. “You seem angry with me.” Constance didn’t respond, so she continued, “I always see you frowning at me when I’m with Edie. You’re welcome to join us, I enjoy your company.”

“I am unwilling to believe my company is welcome,” Constance said, looking away. “If it was, I would know.”

“I invite you to every meal and you turn me down…” Dorothea trailed off. Perhaps Constance hadn’t been as discrete as she should have. “You just seem a bit miserable here, Con.” She stiffened at the nickname. “I want to be able to help.”

“I do not need some commoner looking down at me,” Constance said, before realizing that she had thrown the words at Dorothea.

“Even without your house you aren’t any different from them,” Dorothea said, stabbing a vegetable with her fork. “I want to help a friend, it has nothing to do with  _ status _ . I undercooked these damn vegetables again.”

“They are fine,” Constance said, taking a bite of her own. “My apologies that I called you that, it was inappropriate.”

“I just don’t understand why you won’t speak to me,” Dorothea continued, still clearly upset. A mix of emotions welled up in Constance. On one hand, it could be the push for her classmate to finally leave her alone. The other part of her dearly regretted her words. “Do you know how hard it is to try to be civil with all of you nobles? I have to sit next to Ferdinand von Aegir all lecture as he tells me how hard it is to keep face in these difficult times. How he needs to continue working hard, yet he would have been accepted to this academy regardless.”

“I am not comparable to Ferdinand.” Constance frowned, thinking of the loud man who abandoned her in her time of need. If anything, he was exactly what nobility  _ shouldn’t  _ be.

“And yet you’re still too good to acknowledge me?” Dorothea scoffed. She was still eating her meal while Constance had put her own down on the desk. She knew that something had gone amok. Even in the past when Constance had brushed off Dorothea, she had never lashed out at her like this. “Con, I think you’re a good person, but why can’t you get it through your head that people didn’t have to fall from power to be ambitious? Some of us never had that luxury to begin with. I really am rooting for you; what happened to you and your family is  _ terrible _ , but saying that I never struggled is hurtful.”

Dorothea took a deep breath and for the first time Constance saw a girl who wasn’t confident in herself. Constance realized that the songstress must have overheard her complaining to Hapi when she visited and she felt a pang of guilt. She had said words harsh enough that even Hapi suggested she take a moment to calm down. Constance never would have thought they would reach their target. “Those words were not meant for your ears.”

“That almost makes it worse.” Dorothea laughed, incredulous. “I wasn’t going to say anything because you’ve had it rough; but I am so damned tired of the disrespect.”

Constance wanted to argue that it was  _ her _ being disrespectful in the moment, but she knew that wouldn’t help anything. There was a terrible sinking feeling as she stared at Dorothea; her classmate who went out of her way just to make sure she had a meal. Constance was acting embarrassing for a noble—embarrassing for  _ anyone _ . “My thanks and gratitude for the meal,” she settled on.

“You’re welcome,” Dorothea said, standing abruptly. She left with her own plate, Constance being returned to the silent room’s embrace.

* * *

Constance knocked on the door after getting barely any sleep. The sun was up, but between the clouds and her parasol, she couldn’t feel herself reacting negatively to it. The professor’s lesson would resume in an hour or so, but she knew that there was something she had to do.

“It’s Con, bright and early,” Dorothea hummed, but it sounded more forced than usual. She leaned with ease in the doorway, inspecting her visitor.

“I implore you to join me for tea,” Constance said, playing with the parasol in her hands. As there were no official classes, neither of the women were dressed in the school’s uniform. Dorothea still had her usual hat on and the jewelry that she loved to toy with. “Please,” she added.

“It wouldn’t hurt your image?” Dorothea asked, but she grabbed her books from the desk and joined Constance. As they walked to the dining hall, Dorothea looked her over. “How do I know this isn’t groveling, sunshine Constance?”

“The sun is  _ barely _ infiltrating the sky!”

“I’m kidding,” Dorothea said and Constance relaxed. She saw the songstress roll her eyes, but she knew she deserved it.

By the time they had settled with tea in the nearly deserted dining hall, Constance had gathered enough confidence for her apology.

“You are an extremely skilled mage,” she said as Dorothea looked at her quizzically, tilting her head so that her curls fell from her shoulder. “Your skills surpass those of mine and I was… jealous.” The word barely left her lips and she could feel her cheeks heat up. It wasn’t often that she admitted these things (although Yuri assured she did so  _ plenty _ when in the cursed sunlight). “I apologize for my behavior and for speaking rudely of you.”

“I accept your apology,” Dorothea said, taking a sip from her tea. “Thank you for apologizing, it isn’t easy.”

“It isn’t,” Constance agreed, mirroring Dorothea’s action. She still felt terrible, even if the songstress had accepted the apology.

“Cheer up, we have a whole day ahead with Professor Byleth and trying to annoy Hubie!” Dorothea smiled at her. “I’m sure we’ll get it today.”

Constance managed a weak smile, but she felt like she was forgiven too easily. Even without her house, what right did she have to tear Dorothea down? She wasn’t aware that the songstress took all of the words and negativity to heart. Constance was no better than the stuck up nobility that ignored her cries as her house fell and watched her get cast away.

“Con, you apologized,” Dorothea said, seemingly reading her mind. “If you really feel bad, make it up to me. We can study together for the exams.”

She didn’t think she deserved the brightness of Dorothea Arnault.


	2. The Sun Shining Bright

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorothea loved getting to know Constance and all the little things that made her shine. Her penchant for charms and magic—while not always practical—was an absolute spectacle. She would never forget the night Constance made stars dance all around her room or pulled off a magical costume change that would aid Dorothea’s performances. She looked up to Constance and the way she navigated life among the other nobles. Dorothea began to appreciate the Abyss and all the ways Constance had come to call it home, earning reluctant favor from Yuri and a warm welcome from Hapi and Balthus.
> 
> Dorothea is willing to be gentle with her, if Constance is willing to be the same.

Dorothea Arnault, on the other hand, wished Constance nothing but the best.

She remembered the first day she met the new student. The professor had introduced the two once they couldn’t find Edelgard, deciding that the songstress would be the next best bet to show her around the academy. If Dorothea had to be honest… Constance was terribly loud and she was about to write her off as another Ferdinand von Aegir.

Dorothea realized quickly that Constance was a bit more complicated than her dear Ferdie. She wasn’t blind to what people said about her, she carried each and every word. Constance had gotten every single thing taken from her and she was willing to build it back to its heights from the foundation that remained.

She knew too well how that felt.

Dorothea was grateful that Constance stopped tearing her down once she confronted her. They had become quite the dynamic duo and she was glad that she appeared to be more at ease at Garreg Mach. They eventually passed Linhardt’s magic training (the boy thanking the goddess herself that he wouldn’t be required for extra class anymore) and were even able to execute the maneuver on the field. Of course it ended with both Hubert and Dorothea collapsing from exhaustion and needing to be  _ carried _ back, but it stalled the enemy forces long enough for the cavalry to charge.

Constance, who was semi-conscious at the time, claimed they had done a wonderful job.

Dorothea loved getting to know Constance and all the little things that made her shine. Her penchant for charms and magic—while not always practical—was an absolute spectacle. She would never forget the night Constance made stars dance all around her room or pulled off a magical costume change that would aid Dorothea’s performances. She looked up to Constance and the way she navigated life among the other nobles. Dorothea began to appreciate the Abyss and all the ways Constance had come to call it home, earning reluctant favor from Yuri and a warm welcome from Hapi and Balthus.

The thing Dorothea struggled with the most was her reaction to sunlight. Simply walking outdoors with Constance led to her facade crumbling, Dorothea doing her best to keep the girl from entirely falling apart. Even so, it didn’t  _ bother _ her. She knew very well that people dealt with the nightmares of their past in different ways and Constance was no exception. She just wished dearly that she could help.

There was one day that was even worse than usual. The professor had insisted on outdoor training, for if the enemy attacked, they couldn’t assure an overcast day. Dorothea watched all afternoon as Constance grew more and more quiet, apologizing profusely if she did so much as step on someone’s shadow. By the time they trudged their way back to the dormitory, Constance looked exhausted and was near silent.

Instead of returning to her own room, Dorothea joined Constance in hopes of seeing her cheer up a little bit before leaving. She didn’t know how much long-term exposure could affect her. Dorothea wanted to help her somehow. It was painful watching Constance talk herself down all morning and afternoon. She felt the self-doubts, mumbled apologies, and pleas for forgiveness as if they were her own.

“Please leave me be,” Constance groaned as she lay down on her bed. She curled up into herself, not bothering to take her boots off from training. “I cannot bear to take up all of your time.”

“Sit up and drink some water, Con,” Dorothea said, but she didn’t pick her head up. “I’ll get your boots off first, you don’t want to get all that dirt in your bed.”

“I deserve to sleep in the dirt.”

“You don’t,” Dorothea promised, leaning over the bed and gently undoing the laces. She hummed to herself as she did so, trying not to laugh at the image of her dealing with a noble’s boots. Then again, it was just helping a friend. She tried to recall how long it usually took Constance to cool off from the sun. Sometimes, it was nearly instantaneous, but she had been outside all day. Her legs practically disappeared under her skirts as she pulled them closer to her chest, free from the boots. “Sit up, darling. You need to drink.”

“Leave me to rot,” Constance said.

“Now, that was an increasingly harsh one,” Dorothea responded, urging Constance to sit up. Even getting her to that position was difficult, but she managed to slip water between her parched lips and let her slowly slide back down the headboard and back into the bed. “See, did that help?”

“You have my gratitude,” Constance muttered. Dorothea considered returning to her room, but she was too worried to just leave the other student. So, she undid the laces of her own boots, sitting on the edge of the bed before joining Constance. She didn’t touch her, instead keeping to the edge and looking up to the ceiling. Perhaps when she relaxed a bit, she could ask her how to make the stars glow once more.

“You will dirty yourself,” Constance finally said, but didn’t push her away. “Although… it is quite nice.” She shifted, pressing her back against Dorothea’s side. Her breathing was beginning to calm and even though she was curled up impossibly tight, Dorothea could feel her muscles begin to relax.

The songstress put an arm around her, laughing to herself when Constance hugged it. She didn’t mind, it wasn’t like she was going to  _ need _ it. She had been quiet for a long while, Dorothea nearly drifting off with her warmth. “Feeling any better?”

“I think I am well,” Constance said and Dorothea could hear the traces of spunk return. “You can go about your day.”

“Would it be okay if this is my day?” Dorothea asked, kissing the top of Constance’s head in a moment of weakness. The former noble wouldn’t necessarily secure her life, but it didn’t mean that she couldn’t dream. “I’m exhausted from training, as are you. As long as you are willing, it would be nice to stay here.”

Dorothea knew that she was beginning to come back to her usual self when Constance didn’t push her away. If anything, the girl got closer, her blonde and purple hair pouring over Dorothea’s shoulder. She was small and dainty, but she was strong. Powerful. Her eyelashes fluttered and Dorothea bit her lip. She couldn’t bother to move Constance, even if her arm was falling asleep. If she was comfortable, she could endure for the time being.

“You mustn’t waste your time on me like this,” Constance’s voice surprised Dorothea. She had been so quiet, she could have sworn the girl was asleep.

“I’m not wasting time, I’m enjoying it,” Dorothea said in a hushed tone. “The sunshine really did a number on you today, didn’t it, Con?”

“The feeling has long since subsided,” Constance said. She turned, letting go of Dorothea’s arm, but facing her in the bed, looking up to her. “You have so many other people you would like to see, why spend it with me?”

“Have you thought that I want to see you, as well?” Dorothea asked, pushing Constance’s hair back to press her palm to her forehead. She no longer felt the burning, which was a good sign. “You do feel significantly cooler. I’m sorry that training in the sun takes this much out of you, I doubt it’s comfortable.”

“It isn’t.” Constance frowned. She was looking at Dorothea strangely, her brows furrowed. “You might be the kindest person I’ve ever met.”

“W-well,” Dorothea stuttered out, unprepared for the compliment. It was one thing coming from the noblemen who showed her off for her looks. It was always praise for her appearance: her hair, necklaces, smile. Yet the words spilled effortlessly from Constance’s lips. “It doesn’t hurt to make others feel good. Make them smile.”

“You are perfect,” Constance said, only deepening Dorothea’s blush. “This whole school is filled with half-damned fools. To underestimate such a woman. Songstress or not, you are a commoner who stands above half the nobility!”

“And there’s my Con,” Dorothea said with a smile as her words grew animated, the syllables rising and falling with bravado. The sparkle she got in her eye when she was speaking passionately was stunning. “Welcome back.”

“How rude,” she huffed, “I never left, I’ll have you know.”

“I know,” Dorothea promised. “You know… Con. You’re going to do great things. I could kiss you.”

“You could… “ Constance trailed off and she sat up abruptly in the bed. “Don’t say such things in jest.”

“It was only half in jest,” Dorothea said, sitting up, herself. She thought about it more than once… about Constance and her unique brilliance. Even her apology was done with sincerity, her actions and words changing immediately. It was admirable. “If you would like.”

“I…” Dorothea watched as Constance’s face grew a  _ vibrant _ red. “I would like to kiss you.”

In that moment, as the sun finally began to set and Constance looked at her like she was everything, Dorothea couldn’t care less about titles or a stable life. There was a certainty in their kiss—just the two of them trying to gauge one another’s reactions as their lips fell into a comfortable rhythm—and that certainty didn’t need house Nuvelle or a rich noble to guarantee their future. Neither of them needed others to control what they could or couldn’t be.

Constance pulled away, quick breaths in pace with Dorothea’s. “You are wondrous.”

“As are you, darling,” Dorothea responded, kissing her once more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! My name is Molly and I'm an author who writes about wlw <3
> 
> If you like my work, please support me by following @ mollymariewrites on Instagram! There you can find my Twitter, my published work, as well as get updates about my various sapphic own-voices projects! Thank you so much for your help <3


End file.
